Pasadena has suspended Dr. Eric Walsh, the director of its Public Health Department, while the city investigates derogatory statements he has made about gay people and assesses the impact of those and other statements on his ability to run the health department.
Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck announced the paid suspension this afternoon after a flurry of publicity about Walsh’s comments. In a sermon, Walsh, a Seventh Day Adventist, criticized schools for promoting tolerance of LGBT students, saying “that is doctrine from the pits of hell.” He also said supporters of the American Psychiatric Association’s 1973 decision to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders were “raised up by the (devil).”
Walsh has also said those who believe in evolution are doing “the devil’s handiwork.”
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune has called for Walsh’s resignation as public health chief.
Beck said Dr. Vivian Yeh will serve as Pasadena’s acting health officer. “The Pasadena Public Health Department remains a strong and vital part of the city of Pasadena organization and remains dedicated to protecting the health and wellness of our entire community,” Beck said in a statement announcing Walsh’s suspension. “The city organization is made up of many different people from all backgrounds, races, faiths, family makeup, gender orientation and political beliefs. The city holds diversity and inclusiveness as an important value in the workplace and in our community.”
sounds to me like he has very strong feelings about gays…deep inside him…which he cant deal with…..traditionally it turns out that those who speak against gays as much as he does have something to hide….come on in Dr. Walsh, the water is fine.
“The city organization is made up of many different people from all backgrounds, races, faiths, family makeup, gender orientation and political beliefs. The city holds diversity and inclusiveness as an important value in the workplace and in our community.”….we just exclude religious views we no longer agree with. When churches / religious organizations were warning us that their religious freedom is at stake, that they will be attacked and persecuted, just for speaking what they consider the truth, even if it’s just at Church / in a Sermon, …people called that ridiculous and that nobody would interfere with what people… Read more »
Unfortunately this man is a typical product of too many of the black churches in this country. These “Christians” preached fire and damnation against gays during the height of the AIDS crisis. And now that the disease has moved aggressively into their communities–especially striking their women–who do they turn to for help and guidance? The organizations founded by gays in the eighties. Looks like what goes around comes around is not just a timeworn slogan.
No one knows the religious views of 99% of people who are in public office because we do not appoint them based on personal views. Dr. Walsh was appointed because he is an amazing physician who is concerned with the health of everyone. As a physician he does not discriminate. As Public Health director he does not discriminate. Are we now going to base our public appointments on one’s personal religious views? Shame on us! Catholics preach against condomuse and birth control but you are not suspending all the Catholics!
Thank God for Eric Walsh…
Having met the man before knowing his views regarding Gays, etc., it’s a bit of a conundrum. He seemed like a great guy. Gregarious, smart, dedicated, etc., Its a shame that he can’t see the light about us gay folks, It’s hard to find someone with his other qualities that are in a position to really help the public. Obviously, if his prejudices figure in to every decision he makes about who gets what, which they must, he is simply not fit for public service,(or private service for that matter). I have see some of the most staunch enemies of… Read more »
Adaptation and evolution are two separate things! Viruses adapt to changing conditions. Evolution would suggest that a virus would evolve to a different KIND of creature. Leave this man alone!!!
How can Dr. Walsh, acting in his capacity as director of public health, urge people to get annual flu shots if he does not believe in evolution. We need a new flu shot each year precisely because flu viruses mutate often. Mutation is the mechanism that drives evolution. If the flu virus was not evolving year to year, a one-time vaccination would be good for life. This one single fact is enough to discredit Dr. Walsh as a man of medicine.